Bruises
by HolleringHawk65
Summary: A story about Hans and Elsa over the course of about a year and a half. Multi-chapter!
1. Chapter 1

"Anna didn't want me to come," Elsa told him. "I thought that at the very least I could hear you out though, especially since I am here talking about new trading arrangements."

He arched an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you still consider the Southern Isles a trading partner when you ended your trading with Weasel Town for much less."

"I would like to point out that a brick would be a better trading partner than Weaselton," she said to him, crossing her arms. She looked him over-he was still muscular, but it was a leaner muscle versus his once bulky form. His hair had lost its sheen, he had bags under his eyes, and his clothes hung off of him. "I can't tell if your state is because of yourself or if it's your punishment."

"Self-inflicted," he muttered, shifting. "None of this was supposed to happen, Queen Elsa..."

"I know. I _was_ supposed to die."

"No! I meant... I didn't want you or Anna to ever get hurt like you did. Yes, I'm jealous of my brothers but Elsa, my intentions for Arendelle were pure! I rushed things with your sister because I thought that was what was right. I felt loved for the first time... What happened before the Great Thaw, I _didn't_ do that! I didn't have control of myself and I barely remember what happened... Elsa, I didn't want anything to happen to you."

She rolled her eyes. "Why? Did you love me, too?"

He was silent and her eyes narrows, scrutinizing him. "I don't know," he finally told her. "Your sister, Anna, I was desperate and she was desperate and two halves are supposed to make a whole... But it wasn't even, Anna and I weren't even... But you and I, the more I found out about you, it seemed like we would fit-"

"Westergard," she hissed. "You need to _stop this right now._"

He moved from the couch and she saw how slow and weak the movements were. He knelt down in front of her, taking her hands from her lap. "Queen Elsa, I may be crazy, but please, forgive me. I'm just as broken, just as _fractured_ as you are. I beg for forgiveness, for a second chance."

She held in her breath for a moment. "Hans..."

He didn't say anything, just looked into her eyes. There was a pained look, and Elsa knew she had her fair share of those. Of sleepless nights where she couldn't bear to face her nightmares.

She sighed.

* * *

><p>She walked around her suite in the foreign palace. The King and Queen of the Southern Isles had been shocked that she would suggest taking Hans as a ward back to Arendelle. They had agreed though, after asking her several times if she was sure.<p>

Anna was going to be upset. _Extremely_ upset.

There was a knock on the door. Elsa, only in her dressing gown, spun around. "Who is it?"

No answer. There wasn't another knock.

She cautiously went to the door, cracking it open. There was a small package, wrapped in blue velvet. She silently marveled at how soft the velvet was as she closed the door and started to open the box.

"Oh," escaped her mouth. There was a ruby set in silver necklace cushioned on white silk.

A note was tucked behind the chain. Elsa already knew what it said.

_Thank you._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's<em>********_Note_****:** Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter~ This is my first time for this ship so I'm sorry if they're a bit OCC but then again it takes place a few years after the events of _Frozen_. I'll have the next chapter up in three days!

Please review, I love feedback ^_^

~_HolleringHawk65_


	2. Chapter 2

There was a delegate party that was there when Elsa and Hans left for Arendelle. She couldn't tell if he was dejected that none of his family members hadn't come or if this was the type of treatment he usually received.

Many members of the crew asked Elsa why Hans was there, and she told them the truth-she had decided to take Hans in as a ward and that he should still be treated as a prince.

Many members of the crew grimaced.

* * *

><p>Under no circumstances would Elsa say that Hans clung to her skirts, but he did seem to be around her a lot of the time. She was fine with this, because he didn't hang off of her or constantly pester her. He stood a respectable amount away from her and most of the time was quite silent. They sat together in her private quarters for dinner, and Elsa found that he was an amiable companion.<p>

She wondered if his charm was just part of him, or if he was trying to coerce her like he did with Anna. _*That would be stupid though. If he's already tried it, no one would let him do it again.*_

It was during dinner when she had this thought, and stared at him as she did. Hans looked at her from across the table, an eyebrow arching. "My," why did her heart get faster as he said that? "Queen, are you alright?"

"I was just thinking," she told him, but didn't elaborate on it. He kept his eyes on her for a few minutes as they resumed their meal.

* * *

><p>"Elsa!" Anna said as soon as her sister walked down the gangplank. She reached out and hugged the queen. "How was your trip?"<p>

"Fruitful," the blonde answered. "I… like the outcome."

"Hello, Princess Anna," Hans said. The redhead's eyes drifted over to him, mouth forming an _o_ and her eyes widening.

"Elsa?" She looked at her, fear in her eyes.

She put a hand on her younger sister's shoulder. "It's alright. I decided to take Hans in as our ward."

"What? Why would you do _that_?" she asked her.

"Because he deserved a second chance, Anna," she said, using her _I'm-the-Queen-and-I-know-what-I'm-doing voice_.

"He tried to kill us!" Anna shouted, not caring who heard her.

"It wasn't under his own influence," she snapped.

Anna shook her head, looking away from Elsa. "What if he's lying to you, Elsa?"

"Then I will deal with him accordingly." She and Hans had already gone over this-if he showed any act of treason, she was justified to throw him in the dungeon, let him have a trial (possibly one of combat), hang or behead him, or simply exile him.

The younger sister shook her head. "Of all the people, Elsa, I didn't think you'd be the one to fall under his spell again."

"There's no spell to fall under," Elsa whispered to herself as Anna turned around and walked away.

"I'm sorry," Hans told her. The Queen looked up at him and saw that he did look upset, but she couldn't tell if that was for the way Anna treated _her _or the way Anna talked about _him_.

She was about to say _"It's not your fault"_ when she realized that, because of his past actions, it actually was. So instead, "It'll all turn out alright in the end."

They both silently wondered if it actually would.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_


	3. Chapter 3

Hans walked around one of the gardens. He was done with his daily duties-mucking out the horse stalls, being on guard duty-as well as helping Kristoff and Sven bring ice in. He had time to kill before supper for once. He was wandering around the gardens, attempting to let the peace of them ease into his bones. Whenever he was around Elsa he was jittery and couldn't always think right. It was so much different than with Anna; he wondered if this time it was actually love.

He laid down on a stone bench and let out a sigh. It'd probably be okay if he fell asleep out here-after three months, he still didn't sleep well inside the castle. He was too afraid someone would kill him-a number of people could but he was mostly worried about Anna because Kristoff had finally mellowed-in his sleep.

He took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air as he closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>"My Queen," Kai said, earning her attention, "We cannot find Prince Hans."<p>

Anna let out a scoff as if to say_ I told you so_; she still hadn't gotten over Hans arrival. Honestly, not many people had.

"Where have you looked?" the Queen asked.

"All throughout the castle."

"Send people to look in the village," she told him as she got up.

"Where are you going?" Anna asked her.

"I'm going to look for Hans," she snapped. "He _is my_ ward, Anna, _I'm_ responsible for him."

* * *

><p>It was sunset now, and Elsa felt like they were all close to giving up. She had told everyone to give up for tonight, and was trying to think of <em>where<em> Hans could've possibly gone in the span of time he was missing as she walked through the gardens.

She saw a form on the ground and her breath hitched. Had someone really-?

She knelt down next to him, seeing now that it _was_ Hans. She brought him to her, checking his pulse; she breathed a sigh of relief when his heart was beating.

"Hans, wake up," she said, shaking him. He started coming to, his eyes slowly opening.

"Elsa?"

"What are you doing out here?"

"I feel asleep… I'm sorry, Elsa. Did I worry you?" He started to sit up but his muscles were cramped. She eased him back down.

"Yes. Why couldn't you have slept in your _room_?"

He stared at her, hoping he didn't have to actually tell her why, but it seems like he had to. "I don't think you'd want to sleep in your own room if you thought people might kill you in the middle of the night."

She shook her head, smirking a little bit. "I don't think anyone would actually hurt you."

"Why?"

"They would have to deal with me, then, Hans."

He was finally able to sit up. "No, I don't want you have to deal with that. That's not fair to you."

She leaned forward and cupped his face. He tensed. "It's _my_ responsibility to deal with that and worry about this. Why didn't you tell me sooner that you were scared?"

"Elsa, I didn't tell you because you had actually forgiven me and taken me in. I didn't want to ask for anything else."

She sighed and let go of him. He leaned away from her, looking anywhere but her face.

Elsa stood up. "I expect that the next time you have any worries that you will come to me. Now, would you like to have some dinner? I can only imagine how famished you are."

* * *

><p>That night, a certain snowman was sitting outside Hans' room, saying hello to everything that moved.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_**: ***gulps* Hopefully that was a good chapter?

Comments/questions/some possible suggestions below? ;)

~_HolleringHawk65_


	4. Chapter 4

"Where's Elsa?" Hans asked, grabbing the wrist of a servant. There was chaos because the castle was being attacked. There had been no warning, they were all just suddenly _there_.

"I-I-I don't know, sire," he told him. Hans let him go and rushed off down the corridor, calling the Queen and the Princess's names.

"Hans!" It sounded like Anna and he set off to find her. She was being thrown over someone's shoulder, now gagged and bound, but still struggling. One of the man's fellow goons turned around to hinder Hans, but the Prince _had_ been in the navy, and quickly drew out his sword. Their duel lasted less than a minute and ended with the other man being unconscious.

Arendelle's ward chased after the goon with Anna. The masked man was struggling to get up a rope ladder while carrying Anna. When she saw Hans, she started squirming again, and he rushed below to catch her. She twisted in just the right way and landed in his arms.

The goon looked down but shook his head, hastily climbing up the ladder.

Hans set Anna down, but couldn't unbind her-they were being surrounded.

He drew his sword out again, and he thought it was possible that he could take most of them out, maybe stall them with enough time for someone to come save Anna-

It didn't matter though. The men were suddenly encased in a layer of ice. Elsa appeared to them as Hans turned around and began un-knotting the binds and pulling the gag off.

The strawberry blonde stared at him.

"You saved me," she said, incredulous. "And...and you were ready to fight all of them."

"Elsa saved us," Hans said, shrugging. Kristoff suddenly appeared and Hans felt the tension ease out of him. "We'll get to work on moving these guys to the dungeon."

Elsa nodded, her fists clenched. He couldn't tell if she was upset that she hadn't been there when the people were taking Anna or if something else was bothering her.

* * *

><p>It was in the pre-dawn hours of the next day when Elsa had the chance to use the hot springs in the palace. Steam rolled over the water in a way that was more like fog. Thinking she was the only one there, she shamelessly took over her dressing gown and eased into one of the pools. She sighed as the hot water seeped into her muscles.<p>

Something sloshed the water and she heard a softly muttered curse. Her head jerked up and she saw Hans at the other side of the pool.

She found herself sinking even lower into the water.

He was looking away from her, leaning over the edge of the pool. "I'm sorry, my Queen, I didn't know you'd be in here tonight."

"It's, ah, fine." She couldn't take her eyes off of the multitude of scars on his back. Without thinking about it too much, she got up and walked over to him. Her fingers lightly touched the mangled flesh and she felt him tense. "Hans?"

He refused to look at her. "They're old."

She ran a hand down his back. "Do they still hurt?"

"Every day," he told her.

She directed his face to look at hers. His eyes always looked so pained, and that made her heart ache. She knew what it was like to be in pain, even if hers was a different kind.

She reached up onto her toes and kissed the older man; he turned to face her completely, his fingers going to comb through her hair. Her arms wrapped around her neck and she didn't care that they were both naked- she loved it, to be honest.

"Make love to me?" she asked him, her mouth right next to his ear after breaking their kiss.

"No," he said as he pulled away. "You deserve better than for your first time to be in a pool."

"Oh." _Does he _actually_ care?_

"But, my Queen, if I may accompany you to bed, I would not mind holding you as you slept."

She smiled and gave him another kiss. "I would highly enjoy that."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_**: ***whistles* So there was that, hopefully y'all liked it :) and just to let you know this will not be an M-rated story.

Review? Favorite? Follow? I love all of them ;)

~_HolleringHawk65_


	5. Chapter 5

"Elsa, do you want to build a snowman?" Hans asked one day, months after the pool incident. He knew that today she wasn't occupied with queenly duties.

"Go ask Anna," she told him, biting her lower lip. He and her sister _had_ been getting better, but it wasn't perfect-maybe something so light and childlike would make their relationship better.

"She's out with Kristoff today," he explained to her. Today would be the _perfect_ day-all he had to do was convince her. "It doesn't have to be a snowman. We could make anything. I mean, I know you have control over ice and snow and everything, but I figured that maybe-"

"Okay," she said, smiling.

"-you wouldn't mind doing stuff with me. I woke up early to do-wait, what? Did you really just agree?" He was smiling and she loved it when his smile truly reached his eyes.

"Yes."

* * *

><p>A snow fort.<p>

They were lying down inside an enclosed snow fort, breathing softly as they looked at each other. All around them seemed to be in the perfect silence.

They smiled at each other, not needing to say anything. Elsa snuggled closer to him and sighed, thinking that if this never ended she might just be okay with that. She knew it wouldn't though, but for the moment it was perfect.

* * *

><p>Hans double checked his suit jacket. It was fine, just like it was five seconds ago.<p>

He had a right to be nervous, even though dinner between just the two of them was a rather common event now.

He had been staying in Arendelle as a ward for fifteen months now, and, having gotten close to Elsa, he wanted to make the right move. He only hoped that she realized it was out of true intentions, and not the intentions of whoever-whatever-had taken control of him during the events of the Great Freeze.

The candles were lit and the vase was filled with crocuses. Their three course meal-appetizers, main course, and dessert-was waiting to be brought out when the Queen arrived.

"Good evening Hans," Elsa said as she walked into the private dining room a few minutes later.

"Good evening, my Queen," he said with a smiling, shaking off his nervousness.

The evening went smoothly, amiable chit chat between the two. Hans listened intently and offered advice as Elsa talked about her day and the small issues that had been brought to her attention. Hans lightly went over his day-he hadn't really had much to do today besides arrange their dinner.

As their dinner plates were being taken away and dessert plates replaced them, Elsa suddenly changed the subject.

"Kristoff asked me for my sister's hand in marriage today," she told him.

Hans felt like he had frozen on the inside. He hadn't even thought about asking Anna or Kristoff (who Elsa did consider family even though it wasn't official). He had assumed that it was okay not to ask, since King Agdar _was_ very dead (unfortunately). And besides, Elsa could make up her own mind.

He took a deep breath but masked it as he spoke. "How did you answer?"

"I said he could ask her. I think Anna will say yes but you can never be too sure."

"I'm sure she'll be very happy." He felt the nervousness beginning to creep in again. _It'll be fine_, he told himself.

They ate the dessert-a chocolate lava cake that Elsa absolutely adored-and then they went out to the gardens on Hans' suggestion.

The crisp autumn air caused Elsa to sigh and lean against Hans as they walked. "It's beautiful tonight, isn't it?"

"It is," he smiled, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before standing in front of her. "Elsa, I want to ask you something, if I may."

"O-of course."

He slowly got down on one knee and he heard her gasp.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle, will you accept my proposal to be my bride and wife?" he asked as he opened a velvet box with a simple diamond white gold ring sat on top of silk. He had to barter some personal items away, but they all paled in comparison to his love for Elsa.

"Hans, yes, I accept!"

He burst into a smile, sliding the ring onto the proper finger. He stood up and brought her in for a kiss.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear.

"I love you too," she said as she hugged him, her face in his chest.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>_**: **Yay! Marriage proposals :) (right?)

(to the tune of _Let it_ _Go_)Review, review, please review!

~_HolleringHawk65_


	6. Chapter 6

Anna didn't like it. Kristoff and Sven were surprisingly neutral. Olaf seemed to have forgotten all about Hans' involvement with the Great Freeze and the subsequent events.

Most of the citizens of Arendelle approved. They were aware that Hans had 'betrayed' them, but he had redeemed himself over the course of a year and a half as a ward. He had (greatly) helped to train Arendelle's small amount of soldiers, and would go into the village with baskets, and he knew almost all of the villagers by name.

Many foreign royals questioned her reasoning upon agreeing to marry Hans, but Elsa defended herself. She was in love with Hans, and nothing could change that. He obviously had some sort of feelings for her; he'd waited a year and a quarter before bringing up marriage. And, being a Prince (or at least one at one point) he had experience in political settings, and, having been an Admiral, was a genius strategist.

* * *

><p>"You look beautiful," Rapunzel said, sighing happily and smiling. Anna had refused to help Elsa get ready, so the Queen turned to the Princess of Corona for assistance.<p>

Elsa smiled at her best friend. "Thank you."

The Queen looked into the floor length mirror. Her dress was a traditional white, in a Grecian style with lightweight fabric. She was wearing silver flats that had a small red stone set at the tip, matching the silver and ruby necklace she was wearing.

Her platinum blonde hair was down, several small braids throughout.

Her something blue was a clump of dark blue hydrangeas in her hair. Her something old was an additional necklace-a cameo of a butterfly-that once belonged to her mother. Her something borrowed was a silver bracelet from her sister.

"Are you going to be okay?" Rapunzel asked me as she fiddled with the ends of her hair. "You look so nervous Elsa."

"Because what if this wrong?" she whispered. "What if he did fool us again?"

Rapunzel sighed. "He didn't. He loves you with all of his heart. And remember, he saved Anna. He wouldn't have saved Anna if he didn't care."

They gave each other a reassuring smile as the music began to play.

* * *

><p>Hans confidently put his arm around Elsa. <em>My wife<em>, he thought with a smile, leaning in slightly to briefly nuzzle her neck. "Love you."

She looked up at him and smiled, conveying all she felt in that simple action. She couldn't believe that they were actually married now and they didn't have to hide their actions as much as before.

It was well into the night and many people were starting to get tired. Elsa wanted to retire but she didn't want to tell Hans because he was enjoying the attention.

"Congratulations," Eugene told them as he came up with Rapunzel.

"Thank you," they said in unison, as they had been throughout the night. The other couple smiled at them, chatted for a bit, and then left.

"You look tired," Hans said softly. Before Elsa could get in a word, her husband swept her up into his arms. "Good night everyone!" he said as those who remained laughed. Elsa was hiding her face out of embarrassment in his chest.

* * *

><p><strong><em>One year later<em>**

"He's so tiny," Elsa said softly as she held her son for the first time. "He's perfect."

Hans looked down adoringly at his firstborn, a smile on his lips. The baby had light grey eyes and just the lightest dusting of platinum blonde hair.

The baby cooed and reached out for a lock of his mother's hair.

"Hello Balin," she said to him.

They were the perfect family the two had always dreamed of having.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note <em>****:** So, it's over now. I hoped you all enjoyed it! I loved writing it~ Love you all!

Final review?

~_HolleringHawk65_


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